Grilled Pesto Shrimp
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Whether you serve this grilled shrimp for dinner or as an appetizer, it disappears in a flash. Make extra!
There are endless ways to use pesto sauce—the Italian blend of olive oil, fresh basil, garlic, nuts, and Parmesan—but this grilled pesto shrimp recipe has to be one of my favorites. Whether you serve it with pasta (it’s especially delicious with spaghetti aglio e olio) and a vegetable for dinner or as an appetizer, the shrimp disappear fast. Trust me, no matter how much you think you’ll need, make extra!
“Terrific dish that came together quickly. Another dinner to add to our rotation!”
What You’ll Need To Make Grilled Pesto Shrimp
For the shrimp, I use frozen jumbo (16/20) shrimp labeled “shell split and deveined.” Come dinnertime, all I have to do is run the shrimp under cold water to quickly defrost and then peel. Note that the “fresh” shrimp you see in the seafood case at the supermarket is typically thawed frozen shrimp; so, for the freshest shrimp, you’re better off buying it frozen and defrosting it yourself.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by making the basil pesto: simply combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
Reserve two tablespoons of the fresh pesto (you’ll use that on the grilled shrimp) and pour the rest over the shrimp.
Toss to coat and let the shrimp sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to marinate.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and grill the shrimp a few minutes per side. Be careful not to overcook them!
Right before serving, add the reserved pesto to the grilled shrimp. I know it only looks like a little, but pesto is very strong and garlicky so you don’t want to overdo it.
Serve with lots of napkins and enjoy!
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Grilled Pesto Shrimp
Whether you serve this grilled shrimp for dinner or as an appetizer, it disappears in a flash. Make extra!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds extra large (26/30) or jumbo shrimp, peeled (tails left on) and deveined, thawed if frozen
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup basil leaves
- 3 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Thread the shrimp onto skewers, if desired. (I usually don't bother, unless the shrimp are on the smaller side, in which case they might slip through the grill grates.)
- In a food processor or blender, combine the olive oil, basil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, Parmigiano-Reggiano and walnuts. Process until the mixture is well blended. Reserve two tablespoons of the pesto in a bowl large enough to hold all of the shrimp and set aside. Pour the remaining pesto over the shrimp and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to marinate.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, carefully rub over the grates several times until glossy and coated. Place the shrimp on the grill and cook until plump and slightly charred, a few minutes per side. Transfer the cooked shrimp to the bowl with the reserved pesto and toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 258
- Fat: 17
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Sodium: 922 mg
- Cholesterol: 194 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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Jenn,
I like shrimp enough, but it’s not my thing. I made this last night just to please my family and can now say that I’ll be making this shrimp recipe as often as I can! They had so much flavor and turned out perfect – the first time I’ve ever eaten all the shrimp on my plate and wanted seconds. I served it with your sautéed zucchini and cherry tomatoes (also delicious) and a rice pilaf. Thanks for another great recipe and congrats on the new cookbook – I already preordered mine! 🙂
Glad you enjoyed this and thanks for your support with the cookbook! 🙂
Jenn,
Would the leftover Sun Dried Tomato Pesto used with the Grilled Cheese Sandwiches work with this shrimp recipe?
Sure!
I have made this several times.
I’ve used a cast iron skillet on the stove.
It’s easy, quick and fabulous.
Thank you for a great recipe.
This is a wonderful recipe. My husband and I were looking for ways to use pesto because our basil plant was taking over our garden window. The shrimp marinated in pesto and then grilled on skewers was fantastic. We used the pairing suggestions, but grilled rather than sauteed the zucchinis and tomatoes.
I use pesto all the time but would never have thought to use it on shrimp. Delicious.
Generally I am not fond of pesto, often finding the garlic overpowers everything else including whatever I put it on. However, I did have an amazing crop of basil this year so decided to try this recipe….based on the reviews.
I used your basil pesto recipe (but roasted pine nuts not walnuts). The pesto itself is very good.
But on the shrimp…..they were possibly the best shrimp I ever made. I’ve made it 3 times now for guests and have had rave reviews! I served them as a main course over pesto linguini.
Thank you for a gem of a recipe.
The best way to ensure your shrimp are fresh is to buy them live.
I love this recipe so much that I bought a basil plant so I can grow it at home.
If I want to switch it up and use the pesto sauce for chicken breasts, for how long do you suggest the chicken breast should be broiled (I don’t own a grill and always broil the shrimp when making the recipe)?
Thank you.
Hi Oyinda, Glad you like this! If you want to use chicken breasts, I’d pound them thin like in this recipe. And if not grilling them, I’d use a combination of the stovetop and oven. I’d sear the chicken on the stove over high heat (for a min or two per side until browned) then finish it in a 350-degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes. (I’d hold off on putting the pesto sauce on until you’re ready to put it in the oven.) Enjoy!
Great recipe, loaded with flavor! I have never been disappointed with a recipe form this site. Anytime I want to try something new, I use this site. The only modification I made to the recipe: I used more olive oil. Also, instead of putting the shrimp right on the grill (did not want to make a mess of the grates and possibly begin a fire with the marinade dripping), I put it in a large flat pan topped with foil.
Such a nice flavor for the shrimp! I keep homemade pesto in my freezer so that made this recipe very easy!